Wonder Woman of the Week: Neri Oxman

      Imagine for a moment a skyscraper made of concrete that can convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, or a chair that moves simply by the person thinking about it moving. This may seem like something out of a science fiction film, but for one contemporary architect; it’s anything but fiction. This week’s spotlight straddles the line between architecture and wildlife biology designing structures that act as independent organisms more than modern marvels. She’s a designer, a creative genius, and one incredible role model. The Wonder Woman of the Week is Neri Oxman.

      Neri Oxman received her PhD in design computation from MIT as a Presidential Fellow. It was there that Oxman developed her signature approach to architecture- material-based design computation. Before receiving her PhD, Oxman graduated from the Architectural Association, Technion Institute of Technology, and the Hebrew University receiving degrees in Medical Sciences, Architecture, and Town Planning. [1]

      Contemporary philosophers, scientists, and politicians argue about the concept of a “living planet,” while architects are embracing the idea and incorporating it into their work. Neri Oxman is one of these architects blending biology and architecture into designs that sound like something out of a sci-fi videogame. Oxman and designers like her take standard parts created by the assembly-age of manufacturing and find unique ways of creating novel buildings- like photosynthetic walls, micro-biome clothing and 3D-printed tissue repairing matter. [2]

      Architect Neri Oxman displayed a few of her designs for TED Talk where she showed clothing made of organisms that can repair damaged tissue, an industrial sized dome built by silk worms, and walls made of crushed up shrimp shells that can convert carbon dioxide into sugar. [3] Oxman’s designs aren’t just scientific breakthroughs, they are works of art. Some of her work is on permanent display in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and Center Pompidou in Paris, and has held exhibits in the Smithsonian. [4]

Neri Oxman is an architect creating living buildings, carbon reducing walls, and clothing that would make the Sisterhood of the Traveling pants look so last century. Her work has won countless awards, scholarships, and prized spots at museum exhibits. Oxman believes architecture must “return to creation” and that architects in the modern world must find more natural means of building cities if we as a species are to save the planet.

Oxman, Neri. “Biography.” 2016. MIT Media Lab. Accessed 23 June 2016. https://www.media.mit.edu/people/neri

Oxman, Neri. “Towards a material ecology.” 17 January 2016. World Economic Forum. Accessed 23 June 2016. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/towards-a-material-ecology/

“Neri Oxman: At the Crossroads of Art, Science, Technology, and Environmentalism.” 2016. Lavin. Accessed 23 June 2016. http://www.thelavinagency.com/speaker-neri-oxman.html

“Keynote: Day 2.” 2016. American Institute of Architects. Accessed 23 June 2016. https://convention.aia.org/Keynote-Daytwo